November 3, 2009, 4:10 pm
Time is running out on a Giles County outfitter's attempt to gain support to federally protect a section of the New River.
Britt Stoudenmire, who with his wife, Leigh, runs New River Outdoor
Co. in Pembroke, said he hopes regional support will help land a
National Wild and Scenic River designation for a 19.3-mile stretch of
the river from Glen Lyn to Bluestone Lake in West Virginia.
"This is the biggest thing that could ever happen to the river," Stoudenmire said.
A public comment period closes Friday on a National Park Service report nearly 20 years in the making.
The report, which was approved in 1992 and used to prevent
Appalachian Power from building a large transmission line over the
river more than a decade ago, has been delayed multiple times.
The 194-page report finds ample support for a scenic designation,
considering the river's pristine surroundings, free-flowing nature,
regional significance and contribution to the national river system.
However, it found no impending threats to the section and noted mixed
support from governmental agencies and residents. The park service
recommended against the action.
Stoudenmire said most of the opposition appears to be coming from
West Virginia, where residents are concerned about federal protection
affecting how the river is used.
The section under consideration, which includes more than six miles
of the river in Giles County, is predominantly owned by the federal
government and overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. That is
preventing development along the stretch, but that could change.
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